Odd One Out
by malic124
Summary: A childhood friend of Isaac's, Nick Rollins, is brought to Support Group at Isaac's insistence. Nick is HIV positive and was told by Isaac to come to Support Group, as Nick is dealing with PTSD after a traumatizing event in his life six months earlier. Along the way, he meets and befriends Hazel and Gus, as well, and they all become fast friends.
1. Introduction

"Why don't we start by introducing ourselves?" said Patrick, after he told them his story of how he survived testicular cancer.

A girl to his left, who was connected to an oxygen tank, spoke briefly. Her name was Hazel. She was 16 and had cancer in her lungs.

After Hazel introduced herself, everyone continued telling the too long, didn't read version of their stories. When they reached Isaac, he explained his eye cancer and how he was worried about possibly losing his eyesight altogether.

The boy next to Isaac stood up when Isaac finished speaking.

"My name is Nick Rollins," he said. "I've been best friends with Isaac since we were kids, like four or five. I actually don't have cancer, but I am HIV Positive. I don't have the biggest support system, so Isaac told me to come here."

"We are glad to have you here, Nick," said Patrick. "Why don't you tell us a little more about you?"

"Well, I was diagnosed when I was 10, after I had a blood transfusion. I was immediately put on antiretrovirals, so the disease was being treated. But then, a year ago, my mother passed away and I was placed into foster care. My dad died when I was a kid, see, and I don't have any other family, so they placed me in foster care. I never thought I'd find myself on my own at age 16, but I made through it okay. Until something happened to me."

"And what was that, if you don't mind my asking," Patrick said.

Nick hesitated and looked at Isaac for reassurance. When his friend nodded at him, he sighed and answered.

"I was sexually assaulted six months ago," Nick said. A collective intake of breath echoed throughout the room. "I was on my way back to the group home where I've been staying when I was grabbed from behind and pulled into an alleyway. He tried to rape me. I managed to get away and alert a bystander, who called the cops, and also somehow subdued the guy. He was arrested and put on trial for what he did to me. They found him guilty and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

"I was okay at first and then…I've started reliving it. I just feel really jumpy and I can't sleep. And I feel very out of control. And the thing is that I wasn't even raped."

"Nick, you were sexually assaulted," said Patrick in a soft voice.

"He came…so close, and there was nothing that I could do to stop him. He had a gun. And he completely overpowered me. I never should have been walking down that street that late at night. Because I know better than that."

"Rape victims often blame themselves," Patrick said.

"I know, I know," Nick replied. "That's what my therapist has been telling me. And he's told me how misplaced that is and I know that. But now, I…I feel…. I feel like I don't deserve to be here. But I feel like…I feel like he has…. He stole something from me. And…And I need help dealing with it," he finished, completely breaking down.

Isaac stood up next to him and patted him on the back. Nick continued sobbing as Isaac pulled him into a hug and patted him on the back, whispering, "It's okay, Nick. It's okay."

Patrick sighed before he said anything else. "I want you to know, Nick, that you are not alone. We are all here for you, just as Isaac has been. You do deserve to be here. You were sexually assaulted, but you survived the attack. You will survive the recovery. We will all be praying for you."

Nick nodded and sat back down next to Isaac. He seemed to be at a loss for words.


	2. Promise

Nick walked into the hospital room. Isaac was cancer-free, but his eyesight was gone. In the room, Nick spotted Hazel along with a young man standing next to Isaac's bed.

"Hazel, it's nice to see you again," Nick said, giving her a quick hug. He turned to the guy who was with her. "And you must be Gus, am I right?"

"You would be right," Gus replied. "I'm Gus Waters, I'm on a rollercoaster that only goes up, my friend." He and Nick shook hands quickly.

"It's good to finally meet you, Gus. Isaac's told me a lot about you. I heard you were gonna be at the last meeting the group had. I couldn't make it, unfortunately, and I was disappointed that we didn't meet."

"But now we did," said Gus. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine. Probably a little better than our friend here," Nick said, turning his attention to Isaac. "How are you?"

"Well, I can't see a thing, but at least I'm cancer-free," replied Isaac sarcastically.

"That's better than nothing, isn't it, Isaac?" asked Hazel.

Isaac snorted. "I suppose it is. Listen, can you guys give me a minute alone with Nick? I want to speak with him privately about something."

"Yeah, sure," Gus said. "You guys just have your moment."

"Oh, can it, will ya, Gus?" said Isaac, grinning in spite of himself.

"Only joking, Isaac, my friend. I always enjoy getting a rise out of you. We'll leave you guys alone. Come on, Hazel Grace. Let's go get some coffee, or something."

Gus and Hazel turned and left the room. Once the door was shut behind them, Nick pulled up a chair to sit next to Isaac. When he was seated, Isaac turned his head to face him, even though he couldn't see.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine," replied Nick.

"You know what I mean. You told me why you couldn't be at the session the other day to meet Gus. You had to go and identify him again, right? He escaped, and found someone else, but got arrested again. I know that must have been hard — facing him again."

"He didn't see me," Nick replied softly.

"Come on, Nick, I know you were scared. You don't have to hide anything from me. And you can cry. It's not like I'm gonna see it."

Nick chuckled. "I'm okay, Isaac, really. It wasn't that bad. With the police in the room with me when I made the identification, it wasn't so bad."

"That's good to hear," said Isaac, smiling. "I'm glad at least one of us is doing well. I mean, yeah I'm blind, but things got even worse."

"Why? What happened?"

"Monica broke it off with me."

"She what?" Nick demanded, almost standing up from his chair out of anger. "When did this happen?"

"Right before I went in for the surgery. She said she just couldn't handle being with a blind man."

"Oh my god, Isaac, I'm so sorry!"

"Yeah well, life's a bitch, isn't it?"

Isaac turned his head away in anger. When Nick leaned forward to comfort his friend, he could see Isaac was sobbing.

"She promised me, Nick! She promised me!" Isaac cried.

"I know she did, I know," Nick said soothingly, putting a comforting arm on Isaac.

"Why did she have to do that? I gave her everything! I loved her! We were supposed to be together. Always!"

"I'm so sorry, Isaac, I don't know what to say."

"Just don't do what she did," Isaac said, starting to calm down.

"What? You mean leave you behind and forget about you? I could never do that."

"That's what Monica said and look what happened!"

"Isaac, listen to me," Nick said, coming close to Isaac's face. "Ten years ago, I made a promise to you that we would always be friends, no matter what. You know what's changed about that fact in the last ten years?"

"What?"

"Nothing. You mean as much to me as you did the day I met you. I love you like a brother, more than you know. You're all that I have, Isaac, and I'm not going to let anything change that."

"You have your therapist and the support group."

"Virtual strangers to me, friend," Nick said. "Have I told any of them my life story? The one thing they know about me is what that man did to me six months ago. You are the one who knows everything about me. You know that I had no friends in school until you came along. You know that I tried to kill myself when the bullies kept teasing me about my dad's death. You're the one who kept me from doing that to myself."

"You make it all sound so great, but I was just being a friend," said Isaac quietly.

"You mean more to me than that, Isaac. You're not just my best friend. You're the brother I never had. You've kept me going more times than I can count. You've been there for me at times when nobody else was. And you know what, Isaac? I'm going to do the same for you, no matter what happens."

"And you won't pull a Monica?"

Nick sighed. He reached for one of Isaac's hands and grabbed onto it. "You feel this, Isaac?" he said. Isaac nodded, unsure of what to think. "I'm never letting go, Isaac. Never. Until the day I die, you and I will always be friends. I'm going to be there for you, just like you were for me. Because I love you like a brother, Isaac. You mean the world to me, and I don't want anything bad to happen to you. I won't let anything happen. You hear me? I'm never letting go, Isaac. I'll never let go."

At last, Isaac sighed and nodded. Nick pulled him forward and the two embraced in a hug.

"Thank you," Isaac whispered into Nick's ear.

"You don't have to thank me," Nick replied. "I'm going to be here for you, Isaac. I'll always be by your side. I'll never let go. I promise."


	3. Never Let Go

Nick walked into Isaac's bedroom. His friend was lying on his bed, staring, if he could, at the ceiling. When Nick was standing right next to him, Isaac turned so he could face his best friend.

"How was your doctor visit?" Isaac asked.

Nick sighed. "It was all right."

Isaac frowned. "Something's wrong. What is it?"

"How do you know?"

"I can hear it in your tone. I sense that something is wrong."

Nick sat down on the bed next to Isaac. He grabbed one of Isaac's hands and held it in his own. When he still didn't say anything, Isaac spoke up.

"Nick, what is it? Everything's okay, right?"

Nick sighed before responding in a small voice. "No. Everything's not okay. The doctor said my condition has gotten worse." He sighed again. "He told me I have AIDS, Isaac."

"What?" Isaac said, sitting up. "Tell me you didn't just say that."

"I'm sorry, Isaac," Nick said, while tears streamed down his face. "It's true. My HIV had mutated into AIDS. I'm dying."

Isaac pulled Nick into a hug while his friend sobbed.

"Sssshhh," Isaac said soothingly. "It's okay, Nick. Don't think like that."

"How can I not? I'm dying, Isaac."

Isaac continued hugging Nick. "What exactly did the doctor say to you?"

"He told me that my body was starting to deteriorate because of AIDS. He didn't give me any timeframe of how much time I have left."

"What about medicine?"

"He said it would only postpone my death. It's inevitable, now."

They broke apart, though Isaac kept his arms on Nick's shoulders.

"Death in inevitable for everybody," he said. "We all die eventually, Nick. It's not a question of if, but when."

"I know," said Nick. "I just don't want to die now."

"Tell me, are you afraid of dying?" Nick shook his head. "Then why worry? If you know it's gonna happen one way or another, you shouldn't worry about it."

"I don't want to leave you," Nick whispered.

"You won't," Isaac assured him. "You made a promise to me that you would never let go, not until the day you die. I'm making the same promise to you now, Nick. I will never let go of you. You hear that? No matter what happens, you will always be my best friend. You and I will always have each other until the day we both are gone. Even in death, we will still be in each other's memories, won't we?"

Nick nodded.

"Exactly. So don't worry about this, Nick. Worrying will only slow your time down. Instead, live your life. Just be happy. That's all you can ask for in this life, is to be happy. Can you do that, Nick?"

"With you at my side, I think I'll be okay," Nick said in an attempt to sound cheerful.

Isaac grinned and grabbed one of Nick's hands, like Nick had to him just moments before. "I'm never letting go, Nick. I can't. You mean too much to me. I promise you, Nick, that I will always be there for you. And I know you will do the same for me. I'll never let go, Nick. I can't. I love you like a brother too damn much. I'll never leave you."

"And I'll never leave you," Nick whispered while Isaac pulled him into another hug.


	4. Gus Opens Up

Nick looked up from his book he was reading. One of the caretakers in the home he was staying him had approached him and called his name. Standing with her was Gus.

"Gus! What are you doing here?" asked Nick.

"Uh…I was wondering if we could talk," Gus said, glancing at the nurse. "Preferably in private."

"Yeah, sure, let's go outside to the courtyard, there are some tables out there where we can chat."

"We won't be overheard?"

Nick shook his head. "At this time of day, most people stay away from that area. Usually it's only around mealtimes that anyone's there."

Gus nodded as Nick got up from his bed. He followed Nick through the home and outside. Nick led him to one of the tables, where they sat down.

"So, what can I do for you?"

Gus hesitated. Nick nodded at him, inviting him to begin speaking.

"Well…it's just…" Gus said, stumbling over his words.

"It's okay, Gus, just take your time. You can tell me anything."

Gus nodded. "I wanted to give you my condolences about your recent diagnosis. I was just at Isaac's last night and he told me about it. I…. I'm sorry if you didn't want me to know. Isaac just kinda let it slip."

"Remind me to slap him the next time I see him," Nick said, grinning. "I kinda figured he would tell you. And thank you, Gus. It was hard hearing that from the doctor, but I'm all right now." Gus nodded again. "But surely that's not what you wanted to tell me, is it?"

"How'd you know?"

"You could have told me that in front of anyone, yet you asked me to speak with you privately. Is there something I can help you with?"

Gus hesitated. "I don't know if anyone can help me with this. I didn't know who else to talk to. I would talk to Isaac, but he has enough on his mind without worrying about me. And…I'm sorry for burdening you with my troubles…"

"Don't be," Nick interjected. "I'm happy to help you."

Gus nodded and sighed. "It's my cancer. It's come back. And it's very likely that it's gonna kill me."

Nick looked at him stunned for a moment before speaking. "I'm so sorry, Gus. I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything. I just needed to tell someone other than my parents."

"I get it," said Nick, nodding. "But don't you think you should Isaac and Hazel?"

"I don't want them to worry."

"But you'll have to tell them eventually. I mean, Hazel loves you dearly and Isaac, I know, cares so much about you. He talks about you all the time."

"I know, I know. I just have no idea how to tell him."

"You just have to be honest with him. That's all you have to do."

"What about Hazel? How do I tell the girl I love that I'm dying?"

"Just be honest with her, Gus," Nick said. "That's the best thing you can do."

"But it will destroy her. I can't stand doing that to her."

"And what if you don't tell her and you die sooner than you think you will? She'll live in turmoil for the rest of her life if you die and she didn't know that it was going to happen soon."

Gus sighed. "How do you do it, Nick?"

"Do what?"

"Tell your friends, 'Sorry to break it to you, but I'm dying, so see ya later.'"

"Well, I don't quite do it like that," said Nick, chuckling. "In fact, I've only had to do it once, in terms of friends. Isaac is pretty much my only friend. And you and Hazel. But I'm so close to Isaac, it's like I'm bonded to him for life. He's like a brother to me."

"So how did you tell him?"

"Well… I wasn't sure how to. As soon as I found out, I went to his house to tell him and I found myself unable to do so. But he could tell something was wrong. I don't know how, but Isaac could sense that I was going to deliver some unpleasant news. When I knew that he was aware what I was going to tell him wasn't good, I just told him. I was completely honest with him, and I just let it all out."

"Did it make you feel any better?" asked Gus.

"As crazy as it sounds, yes, it did. I felt so relieved that I just did it and didn't try to sugarcoat it or anything. And since Isaac knows, I know that I'm not alone in this. I know that despite the fact I will die, whether in a week or in a year, I was at least able to be honest with my best friend so that he knew when I went, that I went for a reason."

Gus considered Nick for a moment before nodding. "I'll tell her. And Isaac. When do you think I should tell them?"

"The sooner the better. The longer you keep it built up inside you, the harder it will be to let the truth come out."

Gus nodded again. "I think I'll tell Isaac now, before Hazel and I leave for our trip. But I think I'll wait to tell her. I want the trip to be magical for her and for me."

"Are you worried about something happening while you're over there?"

"A little. But I think fate will allow me this one last adventure before I start to say sayonara to this life."

"You just be careful over there. And take care of yourself."

"I will," Gus said, nodding. They stood up. Gus walked over to Nick and pulled him into a quick hug. "Thank you, Nick. You've been a real help. I owe you big time, friend."

Nick grinned when they broke apart. "You don't owe me anything, Gus. Just your friendship. That's all I can ask for with the short amount of time that I have left."

"Can I ask you one more thing? Are you afraid of dying?"

"Not at all," Nick replied. "My attitude is we all die at some point, so why be afraid of it? Sure we can spend time worrying about when and how we will die, but at the end of the day, it's better to just live and enjoy life while we can and make each day count."

Gus nodded and gave Nick another hug. "Thank you so much for listening to me, Nick. I really needed that."

"Anything for a friend."


	5. Issac's Revenge

Isaac's mom drove Isaac and Nick to Gus's house. When they entered the house, they spotted Hazel sitting at the dining table.

"Isaac, hi, it's Hazel from Support Group, not your evil ex-girlfriend," Hazel said, as Nick and Isaac's mom walked him over to her. She stood up from the dining room chair and hugged Isaac. It took him a moment to find her before Isaac hugged her back, hard.

"How was Amsterdam?" Isaac asked.

"Awesome," she replied. "Nick, it's good to see you again," she added to Nick. They quickly hugged.

"Same to you," Nick whispered back.

"Waters," Isaac said suddenly. "Where are ya, bro?"

"He's napping," said Hazel. Isaac shook his head, everyone was quiet.

"Sucks," he said. His mom and Nick walked him to a chair. He sat, with Nick on his side.

"I can still dominate your blind ass at Counterinsurgence," Gus said without turning toward them. The medicine he was on slowed his speech, just to the speed of regular people.

"I'm pretty sure all asses are blind," answered Isaac, waving his hands in the air vaguely, looking for his mom, or Nick. Nick grabbed him, pulled him up and they walked to the couch where Gus was laying. Gus and Isaac hugged awkwardly. "How are you feeling?" Isaac asked.

"Everything tastes like pennies. Aside from that, I'm on a roller coaster that only goes up, kid," Gus said. Isaac laughed. "How are the eyes?"

"Oh, excellent," said Isaac. "I mean, they're not in my head is the only problem."

"Awesome, yeah," Gus replied. "Not to one-up you or anything, but my body is made out of cancer."

"So I heard," Isaac said. He fumbled to Gus's hand and found only his thigh.

"I'm taken," Gus said, grinning.

Isaac nodded sheepishly before sitting back up. Gus slowly turned his head to Nick, who stood up and walked back over to the couch.

"How are you, friend?" Gus asked.

"About in the same boat as you," Nick replied. "My body may not be full of cancer, but there's certainly something going on inside. The question is what exactly."

Gus nodded. "You've lasted this long, haven't you?"

"Yeah, I guess I have," said Nick. "I still feel fine, even though I know it's coming."

* * *

Isaac's mom brought over three dining room chairs, and Isaac, Nick and Hazel sat down next to Gus. Hazel took Gus's hand, striking circles around the space between his thumb and forefinger.

The adults all went down to the basement, leaving the four of them alone in the living room. After a while, Gus turned his head to face them, the waking up slow. "How's Monica?" he asked.

"Haven't heard from her once," said Isaac. "No cards; no emails. I got this machine that reads me my emails. It's awesome. I can change the voice's gender or accent or whatever."

"So I can like send you a porn story and you can have an old German man read it to you?"

"Charming," Nick muttered.

Isaac grinned. "Exactly," he said. "Although Mom and Nick still have to help me with it, so maybe hold off on the German porno for a week for two."

"She hasn't even, like, texted you to ask how you're doing?" Hazel asked.

"Total radio silence," said Isaac.

"Ridiculous," Hazel replied.

"I've stopped thinking about it. I don't have time to have a girlfriend. I have like a full-time job Learning How to Be Blind."

Gus turned away from them, staring out the window at the patio that was in his backyard. He closed his eyes.

Isaac asked how Hazel was doing and she told him she was doing well, all things considered. He told her abut a new girl in Support Group with a really hot voice and that he needed her to go tell him if she was actually hot.

"What about you, Nick? Surely you can judge for Isaac?"

"Oh please," Nick said, waving his hand. "I'm not good at spotting good-looking people. If I was, don't you think I'd be out on a hot date as we speak?" he added, making Hazel giggle.

Out of nowhere, Gus said, "You can't just not contact your former boyfriend after his eyes get cut of his freaking head."

"Just one of — " Isaac started.

"Hazel Grace, do you have four dollars?" asked Gus.

"Um," said Hazel. "Yes?"

"Excellent. You'll find my leg under the coffee table," said Gus. He pulled himself upright and scooted to the edge of the couch. Hazel handed him the prosthetic, which he fastened in slow motion.

Hazel helped Gus stand and offered her arm to Isaac. Nick helped her guide Isaac past furniture, which seemed ridiculously intrusive.

Hazel drove. Gus rode shotgun. Nick and Isaac sat in the back. They stopped at a grocery store, where Gus instructed Hazel to buy a dozen eggs, while the boys all waited in the car. And then Isaac guided them by his memory to Monica's house. It was a sterile, two-story house located near the JCC. Monica's bright green 90s Pontiac Firebird sat waiting in the driveway.

"Is it there?" Isaac asked as the car came to a stop.

"Oh, it's there," said Gus. "You know what it looks like, Isaac? It looks like all the hopes we were foolish to hope."

"So she's inside?"

Gus turned around slowly to face Isaac. "Who cares where she is?" he asked. "This is not about her. This is about _you_." Gus gripped the egg carton in his lap, then opened the door and pulled his legs out onto the street. He opened the door for Isaac and helped him out of the car. Both of them leaned on each other at the shoulder, then tampered away. Nick slowly got out of the car and followed them. Hazel remained in the car.

Gus opened the egg carton and gave an egg to Isaac. Isaac threw it, missing the car by a solid forty feet.

"A little to the left," said Gus.

"My throw was a little to the left, or I need to aim a little to the left?"

"Aim left." Isaac made to throw another egg. "Lefter," said Gus. Isaac moved again. "Yes. Excellent. And throw hard." Gus handed him another egg and Isaac tossed it, the egg arching over the car and smashing against the roof. "Bulls-eye!" Gus exclaimed.

"Really?" asked Isaac excitedly.

"No, you threw it like twenty feet over the car. Just, throw hard, but keep it low. And a little to the right of where you were last time." Isaac reached over and found an egg from the carton. He tossed it, hitting a taillight. "Yes!" Gus yelled. "Yes! TAILLIGHT!"

Isaac grabbed another egg, missed wide right, then missed low, then another, hitting the back windshield. He then hit three in a row against the trunk.

"Hazel Grace!" Gus shouted. "Take a picture of this so Isaac can see it when they invent robot eyes."

Hazel pulled herself up so she was sitting in the rolled-down window and snapped a photo with her phone: Gus, with an unlike cigarette in his mouth, held the mostly empty egg carton above his head. His other hand draped around Isaac's shoulder, whose sunglasses weren't turned quiet toward the camera. Nick had his arm around Isaac's other shoulder, his smile probably the biggest of all. Behind them, egg yolks were dripping down the windshield and bumper of the Firebird. Behind that, a door was opening.

"What," said the middle-aged woman a moment after the photo was snapped, "in God's name — " then she stopped talking.

"Ma'am," Gus said, nodding at her, "your daughter's car has just been deservedly egged by a blind man. Please close the door and go back inside or we'll be forced to call the police."

"Don't forget to write!" Nick added.

Monica's mom wavered for a moment before closing the door and disappearing inside. Isaac threw the last three eggs quickly and then Gus guided him back to the car, Nick following them closely. "See, Isaac if you just take — we're coming to the curb now —the feeling of legitimacy away from them, if you turn it around so they feel like _they_ are committing a crime by watching — a few more steps — their cars get egged, they'll be confused and scared and worried and they'll just return to their — you'll find the door handle directly in front of you — quietly desperate lives." Nick quickly jumped into the seat next to Gus while Gus hurried to the front of the car and jumped into the shotgun seat. The doors closed and Hazel roared off, driving for several hundred feet before she realized she was heading down a dead-end street. She circled the cul-de-sac and raced back past Monica's house."

As they drove, Nick turned to face Isaac. "So how do you feel now?" he asked.

Isaac looked back at him, the happiness glowing on his face. "Vindicated," he said. "Like I can finally move on with my life and I don't' have to think about her."

Gus turned around and grinned. "Now you can be on that roller coaster that only goes up, just like me, friend," he said, grinning.


	6. Prefuneral

Gus sat in his wheelchair, looking pale. Isaac was standing in a corner of the room, behind a wooden lectern that he was clinging to. Nick stood next to him, prepared to help Isaac stand up if needed. They were in the Support Group room, with the chairs arranged in the same circle.

The elevator doors opened and Hazel came into the room. Gus looked up and glued his eyes to her.

"Hazel Grace," he said, "you look ravishing."

"I know, right?"

Isaac shifted a little bit in his corner. Nick glanced at him briefly while Hazel turned and spotted them.

"You want to sit?" she asked.

"No, I'm about to eulogize. Nick, too. You're late."

"You're…I'm…what?"

Gus gestured for her to sit. She pulled a chair into the center of the circle with him as Gus spun the chair to face Isaac and Nick. "I want to attend my funeral," Gus said. "By the way, will you speak at my funeral?"

"Um, of course, yeah," Hazel replied, her head falling onto his shoulder. She reached across his back and hugged both him and the wheelchair. When Gus winced, she let go.

"Awesome," Gus said. "I'm hopeful I'll get to attend as a ghost, but just to make sure, I thought I'd — well, not to put you on the spot, but I just this afternoon thought I could arrange a prefuneral, and I figured since I'm in reasonably good spirits, there's no time like the present."

"How did you even get in here?" Hazel asked as Nick pulled up a chair of his own and sat down next to them.

"Would you believe they leave the door open all night?" said Gus.

"Um, no."

"As well you shouldn't," Gus said, smiling. "Anyway, I know it's a bit self-aggrandizing."

"Hey, you're stealing my eulogy," Isaac interjected. "My first bit is about how you were a self-aggrandizing bastard."

Hazel laughed.

"Okay, okay," said Gus. "At your leisure."

Isaac cleared his throat. "Augustus Waters was a self-aggrandizing bastard. But we forgive him. We forgive him not because he had a heart as figuratively good as his literal one sucked, or because he knew more about how to hold a cigarette than any nonsmoker in history, or because he got eighteen years when he should have gotten more."

"Seventeen," Gus corrected.

"I'm assuming you've got some time, you interrupting bastard."

"I'm telling you," Isaac went on, "Augustus Waters talked so much that he'd interrupt you at his own funeral. And he was pretentious: Sweet Jesus Christ, that kid never took a piss without pondering the abundant metaphorical resonances of human waste production. And he was vain: I do not believe I have ever met a more physically attractive person who was more acutely ware of his own physical attractiveness."

"But I will say this: When the scientists of the future show up at my house with robot eyes and they tell me to try them on, I will tell the scientists to screw off, because I do not want to see a world without him."

Hazel was practically crying.

"And then, having made my rhetorical point, I will put my robot eyes on, because I mean, with robot eyes you can probably see through girls' shirts and stuff. Augustus, my friend, Godspeed."

Augustus nodded for some time, his lips pursed. He then gave Isaac a thumbs-up. When he recovered his composure, he added, "I would cut the bit about seeing through girls' shirts."

Isaac, still clinging to the lectern, started to cry. He pressed his forehead down to the podium, his shoulders shaking. Finally he said, "Goddamn it, Augustus, editing your own eulogy."

"Don't swear in the Literal Heart of Jesus," Gus said.

"Goddamn it," said Isaac again. He raised his head and swallowed. "Nick, can I get a hand here?"

Nick got up, placed Isaac's hand on his arm and walked him slowly back to the chair next to Gus where he had been sitting. Then, Nick walked up to the podium and unfolded a piece of paper.

"When I first met Augustus Waters, I didn't know what to think," he said. "I had heard so much about him from our friend, Isaac, that I felt like I already knew him, even though I didn't. The first thing he said to me was that he was on a roller coaster that only goes up. It seems like such a simple statement, I know, but he called me his friend."

"'What is he playing at?' I thought. My only friend at the time was Isaac. So why was this guy who I've never met calling me his friend? And then I understood: he knew that all I needed was a friend. Since Isaac told me all about him, it made since that he told Augustus all about me, including the part about my life that's better left in the past."

"I'm here today to tell you that Augustus Waters was one of the dearest friends I've ever had. I only knew him for a few months, but he helped me through so much, more so than he probably ever knew. Yes, he needed some advice from me, and I gave it to him, but he gave me so much more: another reason to live. You see, after I was diagnosed with having full-blown AIDS, I thought I couldn't go on, but all of my friends helped me realize that I had reason to live: them."

"And Augustus was no exception. When I realized how much my friends meant to me, I bounded them to me. I kept them as close as I could to show them how much they meant to me, Augustus included. I know my time left in this life is numbered, but when the time comes, I can go in peace, knowing that because of Augustus and my other friends, I had reason to live my life to the fullest. Thanks to Augustus, I, too, got on a roller coaster that only goes up. To my friend, Augustus, thank you."

Again, Gus nodded for several seconds, with his lips pursed. He gave Nick a thumbs-up.

"Not too bad for someone who's a ticking time-bomb like me."

Nick swayed on the podium, torn between laughing and tears. "You son of a bitch," he whispered. "Always gotta have the last word, don't you?"

Gus nodded. "You know it."

Nick stepped down from the podium. Hazel stood up from her chair and walked toward it, while Nick walked to her seat. They briefly hugged before Nick sat down. When she reached the podium, Hazel unfolded the piece of paper she was carrying.

"My name is Hazel. Augustus Waters was the great star-crossed love of my life. Ours was an epic love story, and I won't be able to get more than a sentence into it without disappearing into a puddle of tears. Gus knew. Gus knows. I will not tell you our love story, because — like all real love stories — it will die with us, as it should. I'd hoped that he'd be eulogizing me, because there's no one I'd rather have…" she started crying. "Okay, how not to cry. How am I — okay. Okay."

Hazel took a few breaths before going back to the paper. "I can't talk about our love story, so I will talk about math. I am not a mathematician, but I know this: There are infinite numbers between 0 and 1. There's .1 and .12 and .112 and an infinite collection of others. Of course, there is a _bigger_ infinite set of numbers between 0 and 2, or between 0 and a million. Some infinities are bigger than other infinities. A writer we used to like taught us that. There are days, many of them, when I resent the size of my unbounded set. I want more numbers than I'm likely to get, and God, I want more numbers for Augustus Waters than he got. But, Gus, my love, I cannot tell you how thankful I am for our little infinity. I wouldn't trade it for the world. You gave me a forever within the numbered day, and I'm grateful."

Hazel was practically sobbing when she finished speaking. Tears were also streaming down Nick and Isaac's faces, but none were flowing down Gus's; he seemed incapable of shedding tears. Hazel left the podium and walked back to them. With help from Nick, Gus stood and pulled Hazel into a hug. She held him in her arms, sobbing into his shoulder. When they broke apart, their lips met for several seconds before Gus pulled her into another hug.

Nick walked around them and helped Isaac stand. Once Isaac was up, Nick pulled him into the tightest hug he had ever given and kept his arm around Isaac when they broke apart. A few moments later, Gus and Hazel stopped another kiss and looked at them, smiling. Gus hugged Isaac first while Hazel hugged Nick. They traded partners, each hug seeming to last longer than the last. Once he had hugged everyone, Gus sat back down and beamed at all of them.

"Well," he said, "that was pretty good. Hopefully ghost Me will enjoy that just as much."


	7. Collapse

The minister called up Isaac, who walked up to the front of the church room to deliver his true eulogy to Gus. Eight days after his prefuneral, Gus died. Unlike his eulogy during Gus's prefuneral, Isaac seemed much more serious.

"Augustus Waters was the Mayor of the Secret City of Cancervania, and he is not replaceable," Isaac began. "Other people will be able to tell you funny stories about Gus, because he was a funny guy, but let me tell you a serious one: A day after I got my eye cut out, Gus showed up at the hospital. I was blind and heartbroken and didn't want to do anything and Gus burst into my room and shouted, 'I have wonderful news!' And I was like, 'I don't really want to hear wonderful news right now,' and Gus said, 'This is wonderful news you want to hear,' and I asked him, 'Fine, what is it?' and he said, 'You are going to live a good and long life filled with great and terrible moments that you cannot even imagine yet!'"

At that point, it looked as if Isaac couldn't go on, or maybe that was all he had written down. He backed away from the center of the room while Nick took his spot. Nick briefly rubbed his head before he spoke — he had had a headache ever since waking up that morning, and couldn't seem to be able to get rid of it.

"Augustus Waters is part of the reason I'm standing here before you today," Nick said in a solemn tone. "Had I not met him, I very likely wouldn't be the person I am. I owe everything to Augustus and to all of my friends. They helped save me from myself. When I was diagnosed with AIDS earlier this month, I felt like I couldn't go on with my life. After telling Gus of my diagnosis, he said to me, 'How do you deal with it?' and I asked him, 'What do you mean by that?' and he answered, "Tell people that you're sorry to break it to them, but you're gonna die soon.' I laughed and told Gus it wasn't quite like that, when I told my friends. In fact, Gus was one of the few friends I have, so he was one of few who knew about it. He did everything he could to help me live with my diagnosis, and for that, I'll always be grateful."

Nick swayed, looking as if he were trying with all his might not to burst into tears. When he finished speaking, he walked arm-in-arm with Isaac back to their seat. Sitting down, Nick gave Isaac a quick hug before wrapping his arm around his friend's shoulder.

* * *

After a high school friend of Gus's told stories about Gus's basketball talents and his qualities as a teammate, the minister said, "We'll now hear a few words from Augustus's special friend, Hazel."

When Hazel reached the minister, she hesitated for a moment before saying, "I was his girlfriend," which garnered a few laughs. She then began reading from the eulogy she'd written.

"There's a great quote in Gus's house, one that both he and I found very comforting: _Without pain, we couldn't know joy._"

She went on spouting Encouragements, while Gus's parents, arm in arm, hugged each other and nodded at every word.

* * *

After Gus's sister Julie spoke, the service ended with a prayer about his union with God. One of Gus's brothers-in-law brought up a boom box and played a song Gus had picked out, "The New Partner."

When the song ended, Gus's pallbearers — cousins, his dad, an uncle, friends — came and got him and started walking toward the hearse.

Together, Nick and Isaac followed the pallbearers closely out of the chapel. When they were outside, Nick glanced around for Isaac's mom, who would drive them to the cemetery, where Gus would be laid to rest. While he was looking around, Nick suddenly felt lightheaded. He rubbed his head, trying to get it to stop hurting.

"Is something wrong?" Isaac asked.

"Just the headache," Nick replied quietly. "It keeps coming back."

"Are you sure it's just a headache? Maybe it's a migraine, or something?"

"No, I think it's just a bad headache. I've had ones like this before, but they've never hurt this much. I'll be — "

Suddenly, Nick collapsed, nearly pulling Isaac down with him. Isaac quickly freed himself from Nick's grasp as Nick fell to the ground, his body convulsing madly.

"Nick!" Isaac shouted, feeling around for him. When he crouched down to the ground, Isaac put a hand on Nick, who was violently shaking on the ground. "Nick!" he yelled again. "Somebody, help!"

Hazel suddenly appeared next to them.

"What happened?" she demanded.

"I don't know. Nick was talking, saying he had a headache, when he just fell!"

Hazel nodded, forgetting temporarily that Isaac couldn't see her doing it. She looked down at Nick, who was still convulsing. She put a hand on him to try and get him to respond to something. "Somebody, call an ambulance quickly!"


	8. Last Acts

Nick stirred awake. He was lying on a bed in a place he didn't immediately recognize. As his senses came back to him, he noticed his headache was still there, but not as bad as it had been. He rubbed his head briefly before he found his voice.

"Where am I?" he asked in a tone barely louder than a whisper.

"Nick!" Isaac exclaimed from somewhere in front of him. "Are you all right?"

"Isaac," Nick said, looking up and seeing his friend standing in front of him. "I'm okay. Where am I?"

"You're in the hospital," Isaac said, feeling his way to Nick's bed. When he found a spot, Isaac sat down on Nick's bed.

"What happened?" asked Nick.

"You don't remember?"

"I just remember going to Gus's funeral and giving my eulogy. After that, it's all a blur," Nick said, straining to remember the details of what happened.

"Well, we were following the pallbearers outside when you said your headache was coming back. I asked you if you were gonna be okay and you said that it was gonna be fine, and then you fell over."

"Just like that?"

"Yeah," Isaac said, nodding. "You just kinda collapsed to the ground, almost bringing me with you. I managed to free myself from your grasp before you hit the ground and I was shouting at you, wondering what was going on. I knelt on the ground beside you, trying to figure out what was happening. When I found you, I felt you shaking uncontrollably. I had no idea what to do."

"Sounds like I was having a seizure," said Nick. "What happened next?"

"Hazel came over, trying to help. She yelled for someone to call an ambulance and the paramedics came about ten minutes later. They took you in the stretcher and brought you here. The doctors have been in and out, looking at you and — "

"And what?" asked Nick. Isaac hesitated, unsure if he could answer the question. "Something's happened, hasn't it?" Isaac nodded. "Isaac, what is it? What's happened to me?"

Isaac sighed. "You have toxoplasmosis, it's a brain disease that people with AIDS get."

"I knew those bloody headaches were something other than what they were," said Nick. "How long do I have?"

Isaac just looked at him and answered in a shaky voice. "I don't know. They wouldn't say, only that it's gonna happen sooner or later."

Nick let out a sigh as he grabbed one of Isaac's hands. "It's okay, Isaac. I'm gonna be fine."

"Nick, you're dying."

"I already was, friend. It was only a matter of time before something like this happened."

"I don't want to lose you! Not right after Gus!"

"I know, Isaac, I know," Nick said soothingly. "But if it's my time, then we have to accept it. But remember this, Isaac, I'll always be with you, no matter what. Okay?"

Isaac nodded. "Okay."

"Good man. Now, I have one final request I need of you."

"Anything."

"Bring Hazel here. Tell her I have to speak with her one final time. And then I'll want you with me until it happens."

If Isaac had any reservations about what Nick had just told him, he kept it well hidden from Nick. He simply nodded and felt his way up from the bed, with Nick guiding him. Once Isaac was out of the room and with his mother, Nick called a nurse into his room to give him a hand with his last act.

* * *

Three hours later, Nick looked up at a knock on his door. Standing in the doorway was Hazel, her expression torn between grief and relief at seeing Nick lying awake in his bed.

"How are you feeling?" she asked as she walked toward Nick's bed.

"For a guy who's close to biting it, I could be worse," Nick replied. "Is everything okay with Gus?"

She nodded. "We laid him to rest just after the ambulance came to pick you up. Isaac insisted on staying to be there when it happened, but I told him to go with you, that it was you who needed him now."

"Thank you," Nick said. "I do need him. And I need you."

"Of course, Nick. Anything you need."

Nick nodded and pulled a ring box from his bedside table and handed it to Hazel. She took it and looked at him with a confused expression.

"What's this?" she asked.

"Just open it," Nick replied quietly.

Hazel opened the box and spotted a ring inside. She took it out to examine it. It had a jet-blue sapphire on top, with Nick's name engraved into one of the sides.

"Is this yours?"

"Yes," Nick said. "It's yours now, though, Hazel. I want you to have it."

"Why?"

"So a part of me is always with you. You did so much for me, helping save me from myself. I figure I should give some of myself to you before I have to leave."

Hazel fought back some tears. "Thank you so much, Nick. You've been such a wonderful friend. Thank you for helping me get through what happened to Gus."

Nick nodded. "Of course. It was hard on all of us, but more so on you."

Hazel leaned forward and pulled Nick into a hug. When they broke apart, she planted a small kiss on Nick's forehead. She made to get up, but Nick grabbed her arm.

"Wait. Before you leave, I need to give you one more thing," said Nick, grabbing an envelope from the table and giving it to her. She took it and looked at the front. It simply read, "For Hazel and Isaac."

"What's this?"

"Something for you and Isaac for when I'm gone. Don't open it yet, though. Wait til it's happened. Please?"

Hazel nodded. "You have my word."

"Thank you, Hazel, for everything," Nick said.

"Thank _you_, Nick. I'm going to miss you," she added, giving him another hug.

"I'll always be with you, as long as you keep that ring."

Hazel nodded and stood up from the bed, tears streaming down her face. When she walked by Isaac, she gave him a hug before she left the room. Isaac stumbled into the room; feeling around while Nick guided him. Once on the bed, Nick grabbed onto one of Isaac's hands.

"How are you?" Isaac asked quietly.

"I think I can feel it coming," Nick whispered back. "I think it's gonna happen soon, which is why I need to do this now."

Nick reached to the table and grabbed a necklace from it. He sat up and put it around Isaac's neck before lying back down. Isaac took the necklace in his hands, as if he was letting them examine it.

"It's your talisman, isn't it?" Isaac asked.

"Yes," Nick replied. "It has my name engraved into it, along with the phrase, "Never let go," which I had put on it shortly after my diagnosis."

Isaac nodded, the tears already streaming down his face. "Thank you."

"Keep it with you always, Isaac. And I will always be with you."

"I promise."

"Good man," Nick said again. He then grabbed onto Isaac's hand and held it again. "I'm never gonna let go, Isaac."

"I know you wont'," Isaac replied, gripping Nick's hand tight. "I'm going to miss you so much, my friend."

"I know you will, Isaac, which is why I gave that other gift of yours to Hazel to hold onto until I'm gone. She'll tell you about it when the time is appropriate. Until then, let's just enjoy these last few moments together."

Isaac nodded again. "I'll never forget you, Nick Rollins. Until the day I'm gone, you will always be in my thoughts and in my heart. I'm sorry we didn't get much time together, but I will always treasure it. Thank you for all of my missing pieces. Thank you for your friendship and your love. Thank you for letting me see, well not really, but you know what I mean," causing Nick to chuckle, "myself through your eyes, because only then did I know that I am good enough for you."

Nick gripped Isaac's hand tighter, if that were possible. "Thank you, Isaac, for everything you gave me. You gave me a reason to live when I hit the lowest and darkest point in my life after that man attacked me. You helped me survive the recovery. And then you gave me some more new friends, which is exactly what I needed. Thank you for everything, Isaac. You'll always be my best friend. I promise you that I'll always be with you. Just promise me one thing."

"Of course."

"Never let go. Hold on to the promise we made to each other a few months ago. Never let go of our friendship and what we had."

"I'll never let go, Nick," Isaac said.

"I'll never let go, Isaac," Nick whispered, his breathing suddenly becoming raspy. "I'll never let go. I love you too damn much. I'll be with you, Isaac. Always. I'll never let go."

A few seconds later, Isaac felt Nick's grasp on his hand slacken. Trying to refuse what he knew had happened, Isaac simply waited. And then he heard it — the unmistakable sound of a machine signaling a patient was flatlining. A doctor came in, followed quickly be a nurse. They tried to get Isaac to move, but he wouldn't budge. Giving up, the doctor and nurse checked on Nick before the doctor said what Isaac already knew: Nick was gone.

The doctor and nurse apologized for what happened and let Isaac stay in the room with Nick. When he heard the door close behind them, Isaac leaned forward and took Nick's body in his arms, sobbing almost uncontrollably over his friend.

"I'll never let go, Nick," he said while sobbing into Nick's chest. "I promise."


	9. Forever

"So what's this about?" asked Isaac.

He was sitting on the couch in Hazel's living room with her. It had been a day since Nick had passed away at the hospital. Nick's funeral arrangements were being made and his service was due for five days after he died.

"I have something from Nick that he wanted me to wait to open until after he — well, after it happened," Hazel said.

"When did he give it to you?"

"When we talked yesterday. He told me to wait until after he passed before opening it. And now that it's happened, I figured what's the point in waiting?"

Isaac nodded. Hazel tore the envelope that said "For Hazel and Isaac" open and pulled out a letter. She unfolded it and started to read it out loud.

"_Dear Hazel and Isaac," she read. "If you're reading this, then I am no longer here with you. I miss you both so much, and I'm sure you're missing me. Anyway, I wanted to give you both something, after I was gone, besides the gifts that I gave you in the hospital. As Isaac knows, my family was relatively wealthy. Since I'm the last of them, any money was put into my name when they all died. And since I'm now gone, I want that money to go to people I care about, and I'm choosing the two of you."_

Hazel glanced up at Isaac, who looked just as stunned at hearing this news as she was. She turned back to the letter and continued reading.

"There's a total amount of about $11 million in my name from assets from my family. Some of that is going to pay for my funeral expenses, as well as a charitable donation for the group home that took me in after my mother died. The rest is set-aside for the both of you, to financially support you. You both will get $5 million that will be set up in trusts for the both of you to access when you need the money. And there's one more thing. For Isaac."

Isaac sat up a little straighter when Hazel said that. He listened carefully as she read the next part of the letter.

"Isaac, I know you said you didn't want to see the world without Gus in it. But, I know you'd want to see me one last time before I'm laid to rest."

"Wait," Isaac interrupted. "He is suggesting what I think he is?"

"Let's find out," Hazel said before she continuing on. _"I heard about a procedure from a doctor in Canada, who specializes in eye procedures. He has successfully performed a handful of eye transplants, so I contacted him a few weeks ago. As it turns out, Isaac, I am a perfect match for you to receive my eyes. This means you're gonna be able to see again."_

Hazel looked up at Isaac, who had a look of shock etched onto his face. _"Hard to believe, right? Well, it's true. You can receive my eyes now that I'm gone. I contacted the doctor while you were fetching Hazel and requested him to come as soon as he could. He said he'd be on the next plane out, so you can have the surgery done as soon as possible."_

By now, both Isaac and Hazel were crying. _"This is my gift to you, my friend. You'll have a part of me with you, always. Like I said, I know you didn't want to see the world without Gus, but I know you would like to see me one last time." _Isaac nodded vigorously. _"The doctor will contact you as soon as he is set up here. And don't worry about paying for it. What's not going to you and Hazel and to the funeral costs and the group home is paying for this surgery. I had a lawyer lay out all the legalities for me and she said everything should be good to go. Thank you both for everything you gave me. I figured I'd return the favor now. I love you both. And Isaac, I'll never let go."_

Hazel finished reading and dropped the letter. Tears were streaming down her face. "I can't believe him. Doing all of that, just for us."

Isaac nodded, grinning. "Yeah, but he always said his friends meant more to him than anything in the world. I'm not too surprised that he's giving us all this money."

"So…"

"So what?"

"Are you gonna do it? Have the transplant surgery?"

Isaac hesitated for a moment. "Absolutely. I know that's what Nick would have wanted and I'm sure Gus would have, too, if he hadn't beat Nick to the punch on passing. I'm gonna have the surgery."

* * *

The following afternoon, Isaac sat in the waiting room with his mother and Hazel while his mom filled out the necessary paperwork to go ahead with the procedure. The doctor Nick had contacted, whose name was Dr. Burton, had contacted Isaac moments after he declared he would have the surgery done. They scheduled the surgery as quickly as they could, to have Isaac ready to go before the Nick's funeral.

When his mother finished the paperwork and handed it to the receptionist, she sat down with Isaac and Hazel. She seemed uneasy about the whole idea of the surgery, but she said it was Isaac's decision to do it. A few minutes later, Dr. Burton appeared in the waiting room.

"Isaac?" he said, smiling. Isaac turned his head in the direction of the voice. "I'm Dr. Burton. Are you ready for this surgery?"

"Yes," Isaac said excitedly. He stood up with help from his mother and Hazel, who guided him while Dr. Burton led them through the hospital. They stopped in a room, where Dr. Burton helped Isaac change into a hospital robe, before walking to a stretcher that was waiting for Isaac. Isaac climbed onto to it with some difficulty. When he was situated, his mother kissed him on the forehead and bade him good luck. Hazel kissed him, too, before grabbing one of his hands.

"Take care in there, okay?" she said.

"I'm ready for it. I'll see you soon. And hey, I'll actually be able to see you this time!"

Hazel giggled before giving Isaac's hand a squeeze and leaving with his mother. Dr. Burton motioned for a few nurses to assist him, who started pushing the stretcher to the operating room.

"How are you feeling, Isaac?" Dr. Burton asked as they walked.

"A little nervous, but I'm also excited."

"That's understandable. The surgery isn't too bad; it's just a matter of doing everything right. I've done this about a dozen times now, so it's pretty easy now."

Isaac nodded. "How long will the surgery take?"

"About 12 hours," Dr. Burton replied. "We'll give you an anesthetic before we start, and that will put you to sleep for the full duration of the surgery. We'll carefully remove Nick's eyes from his body and make sure they are ready to go for you. Once everything is set there, we'll start performing the surgery on you that will allow you to use Nick's eyes. You won't feel a thing and once the anesthetic wears off and you wake up, you should be able to see just fine. After the surgery, we'll want you to rest for a day or so, and we'll take care of Nick to make sure his body is ready for his being laid to rest. We're gonna work with the funeral home to make everything go by smoothly. I'm also gonna prescribe you with a pill that will help you body adjust to the new eyes, so the immune system doesn't try to attack them. Since you and Nick had a perfect blood match, it should be fine, but I'll give you a month's supply of the pills, just to be safe."

They reached the operating room. Dr. Burton pointed the nurses to a place to put the stretcher in time for the surgery. When Isaac was in place, Dr. Burton stood over him.

"Don't be nervous, Isaac," he said soothingly. "Everything will be done smoothly and by the book. This will be over before you know it, and you'll be able to see again."

Isaac nodded. "Thank you, Dr. Burton," he said. "Let's get this over with."

"You're the boss," said Dr. Burton. "I'm going to give you a shot now, which is the anesthetic being put into you. You'll soon feel extremely tired. I don't want you to fight it, okay?" Isaac nodded. "Good man." Dr. Burton put the needle on Isaac's arm and injected the syringe. He pulled it out and disposed of it. Isaac immediately felt tired. "You'll soon fall asleep, Isaac. Just count backward from 100 and you'll be asleep before you get anywhere close to zero."

"100, 99….98…..97….96….95….94….."

* * *

Hours later, Isaac felt his consciousness return. He was lying on a bed, he knew, and guessed the surgery was over. His sunglasses weren't on his face. He didn't open Nick's eyes, though; for fear that it hadn't gone well. He jumped when he heard Dr. Burton speak.

"I see you're awake," he said. "How about you test out your new eyes?"

Isaac hesitated before he sighed and opened his eyelids. The room was dark enough so he wouldn't have to quickly close them again. Above him, he saw a kind-looking older man standing above him. Isaac blinked, trying to take it in that he could see again.

"So it worked?" he asked excitedly.

Dr. Burton smiled. "Yes. You went through the surgery just fine. There were no complications during the surgery and you came out of it well. Everything should be fine, as long as you take those pills I told you about."

Isaac nodded. "How's Nick?"

"He'll be ready in time for his funeral. We are working with the funeral home to make sure it doesn't look like he had surgery, which shouldn't be too difficult. Everything should be just fine."

"Thank you, Dr. Burton. I can never thank you enough for what you did."

"You don't have to thank me. I was just doing my job. Thank Nick for me, though. This was all his idea."

* * *

"I cannot thank you enough for this," Isaac said. He was alone in a viewing room with Nick's body in the casket. He grabbed one of Nick's hands and held it in his own. "You gave me a whole new reason to live and I'll be forever grateful for that. Thank you for the eyes, Nick. They are doing pretty well. I'm gonna make sure that my body likes them. Dr. Burton said the chances of my cancer returning, even with my new eyes, are slim to none. Thank you so much, friend."

* * *

Isaac sat with his mother while Hazel gave her eulogy to Nick.

"Nick was a wonderful friend. I met him through a support group for cancer students. While he didn't have cancer, we still accepted him because we all saw that all he needed was a friend. And that's what I gave him. He may have been the odd one out of our group of friends since he never had the disease we did, but we still gave him our everything, and he did the same for us. I will always cherish his friendship and his love. To my friend, Nick Rollins, Godspeed."

Hazel sat down while Isaac stood to give his eulogy. They hugged tightly before Isaac took his place at the front of the room.

"Nick Rollins helped me overcome the hardest parts of my life. In return, I did the same for him. We were each other's rock. He never failed to surprise me with his outlook on life. And that continued, even after he left. He surprised me not only with a generous amount of money to support me for some time, he also gave me something I never expected to get from anyone: new eyes. It's because of Nick that I'm standing up here, able to see all of you and to see him one last time, which was his last wish. Nick still means the world to me and I will never forget our time together. He was my brother, my friend, my partner-in-crime and my soul mate. Even though we didn't get much time together, we lived a lifetime's worth. Nick Rollins, you'll always be with me in my heart and in my thoughts. I'll never forget you. And I promise, I'll never let go."

* * *

Isaac, Hazel and Isaac's mom followed the funeral procession to the cemetery where Nick would be buried. They followed closely behind the casket, which was still open for viewing.

Nick's casket was designed to make it look like he was drowning. His suit, which was a shade of blue matching water, was fanned appropriately to show the illusion of him drowning. He hands were folded over his chest. In one of his hands lay a pair of sunglasses familiar to anyone who knew him and Isaac well.

When he was visiting with Nick privately before the funeral began, Isaac pulled his sunglasses from his pocket and carefully laid them in Nick's hands.

"You gave me a part of you to last forever, and I'm giving you a part of me that will stay with you forever," Isaac had said.

When the casket was closed, nobody noticed the sunglasses sitting in Nick's hands. Isaac noticed this and smiled to himself. He twirled Nick's talisman in his hands. He knew he would rarely take it off, as a tribute to his best friend. Isaac knew, just as Nick had told him, they would be together, forever.


End file.
